Ant McPartlin reveals 'shame' of drink driving arrest and says new girlfriend Anne-Marie Corbett helped saved his life

Ant McPartlin has told of how his girlfriend and “rock” Anne-Marie Corbett helped save his life after a drink-driving arrest and stint in rehab.

The TV presenter spoke with the Sun on Sunday about his tumultuous 2018 after a high profile break-up from his wife of 11 years Lisa Armstrong.

He was also arrested for drink-driving, fined £86,000 and banned from driving for 20 months.

The TV presenter has recently returned to work with Declan Donnelly on the new series of Britain’s Got Talent after almost a year on the sidelines.

McPartlin, 43, said the support of former PA-turned-girlfriend Ms Corbett helped him turn his life around.

“Anne-Marie honestly is the fundamental reason for the great change in my life," he said.

The star struggled with a two-year addiction to super-strength painkillers following a knee operation in 2015, his stint in rehab coming six months after he was awarded an OBE for services to entertainment and broadcasting along with his presenting partner, Declan Donnelly.

McPartlin told the paper his drink drive arrest was like "an explosion of the worst possible moment in my life", adding he felt "shame, guilt, remorse, embarrassment" after the airbag in his Mini struck into his face.

The star's black Mini hit two other cars in Richmond, west London, on March 18 after losing control as he drove around a sharp bend at "considerable speed", a court heard.

He collided with another Mini Cooper before driving "straight into the front of an oncoming car" - a BMW with a doctor and her nine-year-old son on board.

McPartlin pleaded guilty to driving with 75 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

He told the Sun: "I thank God every night that no one was seriously injured in that crash."